State Drops Sexual Battery Charge Against Parole Officer

TAVARES — Prosecutors have dropped sexual battery charges against a Florida Parole and Probation officer because the woman who accused him of fondling her has dropped her allegations.

Alphonse ''Al'' Stewart, 37, of 1710 Birchwood Circle, Leeburg, has been transferred back to his former work assignment in Lake County. He had been transferred to Orlando until the charges were resolved.

Stewart was arrested by Lake County deputies on Oct. 10 after the Leesburg woman claimed that he fondled her when he came to her home to check on a parolee.

The parolee, who had been the woman's boyfriend, was not at the home.

Prosecutors have been holding the case back from trial while trying to determine whether the charge was valid.

Prosecutors finally dropped the case after the woman signed a request that the case not be pursued because of ''bad health and family problems.''

There had been a plan for all parties to sign promises not to sue one another, but that plan was scrapped.

Stewart was supposed to sign a sworn statement promising not to sue the Lake County Sheriff's Department over the arrest, but he did not sign because the woman did not sign a promise not to sue him.

State officials delayed administrative action until the criminal charges were resolved. Sources said Friday that Florida Probation and Parole officials are proceeding with administrative action concerning Stewart's conduct.